Chapter 4 Chapter 4

He walked into the study generously. Xiang Quanci smiled and said, "Lianhuan, you look like an adult." Lianhuan also laughed.Of course, he is already an adult. "Lianhuan, look, I just told your father that day that we are getting too old." He said kindly, pointing to a chair for Lianhuan to sit down. Lianhuan could hear that he was a little miserable. "Lao Lian said that you want to go to university, how about coming to my company for an internship in the summer? Xu Keli can teach you." It was Xu Keli again. "You and he will both be outstanding young people, and the society depends on you to take over."

Lianhuan listened silently and respectfully. After a round of courtesies, Xiang Quanci looked a little tired, and he said: "My health is not good, not as strong as your father's." He went to the long window and peered down. Lianhuan knew that it was time for him to leave, so he stood up and said, "Mr. Xiang, take care." Xiang Quanci turned around, "Pay more attention to your studies." Lianhuan gently opened the door and walked out of the corridor. That night, his parents told him that they hoped that he would go to boarding school after entering the university.

Lianhuan almost wanted to shout loudly: No, I don't mind being the son of a servant, you don't have to send me to a high place. The parents' intentions are too good. He was bored and ran outside. I found Lin Xiangqin and suggested watching a movie. I walked from one theater to another and watched three sets of comedies in a row to relieve my troubles. Then he asked Xiangqin: "What else is there?" Xiangqin muttered, "I'm dazzled, where else should I go?" Lianhuan lowered his head and smiled, he is an ordinary person, Xiangqin is an ordinary person, they have nothing to worry about when they are together.

Two days later, there was another special news from Xiangzhai. Xu Keli came to Lianhuan himself. Seeing his warm face, Lianhuan greeted him politely for some reason. Xu Keli said: "Please Lianhuan, drive to the school to pick up Xiang Zishan." Lianhuan immediately knew something was wrong. "I was supposed to go, but I was so angry I didn't want to see her." Smiling in succession and getting into trouble again, this is AhZi's true nature. He sent the tutoring students away and immediately drove to the girls' school in a small car. Ah Zi was not waiting for him at the door.

Lianhuan parked the car and walked into the school.After investigation, it was discovered that Ah Zi was detained in the teaching office. The Dean of Academic Affairs looked like a respectable lady, and came out angrily. Seeing her complexion, she immediately understood that Xu Keli was a smart person, and asked him to be a substitute. The director of academic affairs immediately asked, "Who are you, Xiang Zishan? Why didn't her parents come?" What a chain, not in a hurry and blushing, he asked instead: "May I ask what happened to Xiang Zishan?" The director of academic affairs stared at her eyes like copper bells: "Xiang Zishan has been expelled!"

Lianhuan took a deep breath, "Can you intercede, can you give her a chance." "No, it's not negotiable." The lady said firmly. Seeing that it was irreversible, Lianhuan also changed his tone, "Then, please hand over the students and let me take them home." "She hasn't apologized to me yet." "She has already been expelled. There is no need to apologize to you. Release Xiang Zishan quickly. The school has no right to detain students. If she doesn't come out again, I will report to the police station." The Dean of Academic Affairs has been in office for more than 20 years, and has accumulated a little authority. How often have he heard such rude words? Usually, parents come up to meet a teacher of a famous school and almost kiss the back of her hand.At that moment, she turned pale with anger, "No wonder, no wonder, a parent like you pampered her like this." She was shaking with anger.

She thought Lianhuan was Xiang Zishan's elder brother. "Xiang Zishan is a rotten apple, the school will not punish her," the dean swore, "the society will punish her too." Without fear, Lianhuan asked repeatedly: "Please hand over Xiangzishan to me immediately." "Tolerate the adulterer!" She walked away in a huff. Lianhuan sits alone in the waiting room waiting to be released. Fortunately, Xiang Zishan came out within five minutes. She smiled all over her face, "Lianhuan, I knew you were my friend a long time ago." "sit down."

"Let's get out of the land of right and wrong quickly." "Sit down." Lianhuan raised his voice. Xiang Zishan saw Lianhuan with thick eyebrows and big eyes seemed a little angry, so she had to sit down gently. Lianhuan asked sincerely: "Can you tell me what mistake you made?" AhZi's eyes lit up, but he didn't know. Just after class, the academic director ordered Xiang Zishan to stand up in public and criticize her because of her bad homework.AhZi became more and more impatient, picked up a hardcover book and slammed it onto the eloquent old lady.

Xiang Zishan didn't expect that someone would be unable to avoid her. The book was hitting her nose, and she was bleeding, and the whole classroom was boiling. Lian Lianjing, who came to pick her up, didn't know about it. The whole school knows. Originally wanted to call the police, but publicizing the matter would have a great impact on the reputation of the school, so the parents of Xiang's family were urgently summoned to speak. Unexpectedly, he was reprimanded by Lianhuan instead. "Say it." Lianhuan asked. AhZi replies aggrievedly, "I'm trying to peek."

Lianhuan was puzzled, "School rules are so strict? Ordinarily, one big mistake is enough." Ah Zi smiled, "Never mind it, some people have a little power in their hands, so they use chicken feathers as arrows, let's go." Lianhuan saw that she didn't care at all, so he wanted to say something to her, but seeing Xiang Zishan smiling and carefree, he couldn't bear it.This girl spends more time in hardship and less time in happiness, forget it, anyway, there are plenty of girls' schools in this city. Lianhuan sighed, "Still leaving?" Along the way, there was a secretive smile on the corner of AhZi's mouth.

Lianhuan was shocked. He had seen this smile on Mrs. Xiang's face before, and he never understood why Mrs. Xiang smiled so wickedly when she was in a desperate situation. At this moment, I saw it on Xiang Zishan's face again. He vaguely felt that their mother and daughter must have something to hide. Lianhuan sends Xiang Zishan to the gate of the mansion. Ah Zi ran up the stairs. "stop." She turned her head abruptly, and saw that it was Xu Keli. Xu Keli looked at him sternly, "Hit the teacher again?" Xiang Zishan said stubbornly: "It has nothing to do with you, you don't want to be my sister's attendant when you have time and mind your own business." Xu Keli shook his head, "Ah Zi, I have known you for seven years, and found that you are really a bad boy through and through, and there is no cure." AhZi's face changed, and then she mockingly argued: "Some people don't think so." "You mean Lianhuan, he is an honest man, you should not bully him." AhZi said in a high-pitched voice, "He is my friend, and I respect him very much." "I hope so, I hope he doesn't underestimate you, I hope you don't play him." Ah Zi's eyelashes filled with tears, "Why do you always talk to me in this tone, you have always been kind to my sister." "Your sister is a simple girl." "Dad and you have always disliked me." "Ah Zi, that's wrong, it's not fair for you to say that." "Father doesn't like me because I look too much like my mother. And you, you don't like me because you are afraid that Xiang Baoshan will be jealous." "Nonsense," Xu Keli turned around, "I must report this matter to Mr. Xiang." Xiang Zishan forced her down, "Xu Keli, Xu Keli." She leaned forward and grabbed him, stretched out her arms, put them on his shoulders, "Please, help me." Xu Keli was about to brush her arms lightly, when Xiang Baoshan appeared at the corner of the door with a displeased expression. Seeing that her sister was troubled, Ah Zi not only did not explain, but tightened her arms a bit. Xu Keli hurriedly broke free in embarrassment, left the two sisters behind, and hurried into the study. Xiang Baoshan looked at her younger sister coldly, "What is it this time, I asked Xu Keli to save you every time, he is not tired, you should be too." Xiang Zishan retorted, "The most tiring one should be you, sister, who hasn't lived in front of my father for sixteen years to speak ill of me and create trouble." "I'm telling the truth." "The truth is what is good for you." The quarrel between the two sisters all fell on Mrs. Lian who came in with flowers In order to avoid the embarrassment of the two ladies, she wisely hid in the side hall. Sister-in-law Lian wished she could close her ears, so as not to hear the two sisters arguing clearly. I only heard De Baoshan say: "Isn't it true that I change schools every semester, throw jewelry and clothes on the street when things are wrong, and deliberately entangle my boyfriend?" "Xiang Baoshan, I hate you." "You hate everyone, and your world is a world of hate." Sister-in-law Lian didn't have time to dodge, she saw Ah Zi rushing into the side hall, crossing the long corridor and going somewhere. Mrs. Lian picked up the vase, only to hear the eldest lady ask coldly: "How long have you been here?" Mrs. Lian raised her eyes and said with a smile, "I just came in." "Did you see Second Miss?" Xiang Baoshan asked. Sister-in-law Lian pretended to be puzzled, "Is Second Miss here?" she said as she walked away. The two sisters are so difficult to get along with at such a young age, and it is unfortunate that the boy of another family has made friends with them. Even my sister-in-law never dreamed that it would be her son Lianhuan. Xiang Zishan ran to the worker's dormitory and climbed up the oak tree to visit Lianhuan's room. She took off the rafters and threw them into the room. Seeing that it was her, Lianhuan couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing here again?" "I came to see my only friend in the world." Ah Zi's tone was sincere, and Lian Huan remained silent. "Didn't you get scolded?" "I'm not afraid." Lianhuan stretched out his arm to block the thrown acorns, "Hey, don't torture the big tree, it was born earlier than us and has more status on the earth." "Xu Keli said that this white oak tree is at least sixty years old." It was Xu Keli again. But she did not admit that Xu Keli was her friend. "It can grow up to thirty meters high." Lianhuan smiled slightly, "Did Xu Keli tell you too?" Ah Zi didn't answer, "Before your family moved here, I used to play in the trees." Lian Huan suddenly feels compassion, Ah Zi has always been a lonely child. "On the tallest tree branch, looking into the big house, everything is clear, have you tried it?" Lianhuan's heart skipped a beat, as if he had guessed something, but couldn't decide. "Come out, Lianhuan, let's climb up together." "Don't be crazy, the top of the tree is six or seven stories high, it's too dangerous." "Haha, you dare not." Use the aggressive method. "Yes, I dare not." Lianhuan was both angry and funny. This girl, who had just been kicked out of school, acted as if nothing had happened. "Come." Ah Zi stretched out her hand. Lianhuan was young after all, unable to restrain himself, he nimbly followed Ah Zi up the treetop, the two were agile, supported each other, and soon reached the top of the tree. Ah Zi was right, she was condescending and could see everything clearly: Mrs. Lian was at the back door ordering the driver to do something, and the cook came back with the ingredients.... Lianhuan suddenly remembered that Ah Zi must have seen more than him. At this time, she was carefree picking leaves and sticking them in her hair. Lianhuan helped her spread the leaves on top of her head like a fan, like a crown. AhZi laughed lively, hiding in the treetops, like the fairy mountain charm in the legend. Lianhuan praised: "How beautiful." Ah Zi asked expectantly: "Is it more beautiful than sister?" Lian Huan never thought that Xiang Baoshan had any advantages, and his eyes gave Ah Zi a positive answer. Ah Zi immediately said, "Look." Xu Keli and Xiang Baoshan both walked out the door, boarded the red sports car, and slid down the road. They were very affectionate, and Xu Keli could be seen holding the steering wheel with only one hand, while holding Xiang Baoshan with the other hand. Ah Zi restrained her smile, turned her head and asked Lian Huan: "Will they get married?" Lianhuan can see that the marriage between Xu Keli and Xiang Baoshan has already been tacitly approved by the parents. "Xu Keli will be a good brother-in-law." When AhZi heard it, she tore off the crown of leaves, left the tree, then slid down the trunk, and disappeared without a trace. Lian Lian's mood also suddenly slipped, sitting cross-legged on the tree without making a sound, silently watching Ah Zi running back to the mansion. Ah Zi was grounded for a week. Xu Keli was busy finding a new school for her to make a new school uniform. At the beginning of the new semester, Lin Xiangqin said to Lianhuan: "University homework seems to be more leisurely." Lianhuan didn't seem to hear it, and after a while he asked: "Is it a pain to like someone more than that person likes you?" Xiangqin's heart skipped a beat, and she cautiously asked, "Who, who likes whom more?" Lianhuan was silent. Xiangqin was not stupid, and suddenly realized that she was not among the two, so she forced a smile and asked, "Who are you talking about?" Lianhuan came back to his senses, "I'm just feeling a little sad." Xiangqin asked: "Is it our friend?" Lianhuan refused to say any more. Xiangqin feels that all these years, she seems to be knocking on a door that will never be opened. Originally, she was very patient and planned to stay outside the door until Lianhuan's heart opened. In the land of no one, Xiangqin seems to have an epiphany. Why bother to worry about who that person is, who is different, why bother to ask the bottom line and ask for trouble. Xiangqin was relieved at that moment, and her expression became peaceful. She smiled and said: "Don't think about it, we are students, what qualifications do we have to study who loves whom more." Lianhuan's face flushed suddenly, and he gave Xiangqin a grateful look. In the evening, Mrs. Lian cleaned the room for her son. She wondered, "Where do so many acorns come from? I'm afraid I'll fall if I accidentally step on them." Lianhuan put down the book: "Don't sweep, don't sweep, just let it go." Sister-in-law Lian said angrily, "You are even weirder than your father." In that winter, the grass was covered with acorns, and the doctor came in and out of the fragrant house more frequently. In the evening, while drinking beer, Lao Lian said: "My boss should go to the hospital early." The tone was very regretful. Mrs. Lian said: "He is the same age as you, and I think you seem to plan to live another fifty years." "When I was very poor, I always thought that wealth could solve all hardships, but look at Xiangshi. The mansion is backed by mountains and faces the sea. He never looks at the scenery. The flower garden is so well arranged, and he always turns a blind eye to it. He is locked in the study all day and night. What is going on in the secret room? No one knows." "Mr. Xiang has sentenced himself to prison, which is a permanent sentence." Lao Lian sighed, "Well said." That night, Lian Huan slept until midnight and was awakened by the sound of crying softly. He reached out to turn on the light and touched the soft muscle. He sat up in the dark. Lianhuan certainly knows who this is. AhZi lay on the corner of the bed sobbing, "My father is going to die soon." Lianhuan comforted her: "He will recover." "You haven't seen him in months and he's not going to get well." "Hey, hey," Lian Huan stroked her long hair, "don't curse him." The voices of the two teenagers couldn't be lowered, as if they were talking to themselves. Ah Zi buried her head on Lianhuan's chest. Lianhuan teased her: "I thought you didn't love your father at all." Ah Zi replied without hesitation: "I hate him." But for their father and daughter, the boundary between love and hate is not clear and blurred. Early the next morning, Lianhuan heard her mother complain, "Old Lian, can you change the phone number? Recently, people have been harassed by unplugged mysterious calls from morning to night." "Could it be a girl looking for serial?" "There's only one Lin Xiangqin," said Mrs. Lian's spirit. "This girl has nothing to say, she is generous and steady, and she has seen big things since she was a child. She has no shortcomings at all." Lao Lian agreed, "She is indeed a dignified and lovely girl." "But Lianhuan is lazy and doesn't seem to know how to seize the opportunity." "These things are destined, you don't need to worry." Lianhuan waited beside the phone, and when it rang, he picked it up immediately. Regardless of whether the other party was willing to speak, he said softly: "The doctor will try his best to control the condition." Put down the receiver after a while. Mrs. Lian asked, "Who?" Lianhuan replied: "The classmate asked me to bring notes." It was New Year's Eve again, and Mrs. Lian was busy preparing for the New Year for the two families. She worked hard, but couldn't create the atmosphere. No one thinks about celebrating the New Year, and no one thinks it is important to celebrate the New Year. When the table is full of dishes, you only need to pull it a few times, and when you hear the doorbell, you immediately jump up and open the door to the doctor or lawyer. Xiang Zishan begged Xu Keli, "Let me accompany father." Xu Keli hesitated, "He doesn't want to see you." Xiang Zishan pushed Xu Keli away, but was held back by Xiang Baoshan, "You are not allowed to provoke him." "He was also my father." Xiang Zishan pushed open the door and went in, Xu Keli and Xiang Baoshan followed, Ah Zi approached. Xiang Quanci turned his head slowly, and it took a long time for his cloudy eyes to focus, and said softly: "You are here." The tone was infinitely hopeful. Xu Keli immediately knew that he had admitted to the wrong person, but Ah Zi thought that her father was thinking about her, so she went to hold his hand. Xiang Quanci looked at her for a long time, then suddenly woke up, brushed away Ah Zi's hand, "It's you, go away." "Father--" "Go away," Xiang Quanci panted, with a look of disgust on his thin face. Xiang Baoshan quickly pulled Ah Zi away. I only heard Xiang Quanci's voice saying: "You are not my child." The three young men in the room were stunned at the same time, looking at each other. At this time, the District Attorney arrived with the doctor and motioned the children out. Azi's face was pale, and she took Xu Keli to a corner, "Why did father say that I am not his child?" Seeing her sweating, Xu Keli couldn't bear it, "You are too naughty, Mr. Xiang once said in a fit of anger that you are not like a daughter of the Xiang family." "No, he meant it differently this time." "You don't make something out of nothing." Xiang Baoshan looked at her coldly, Ah Zi suddenly couldn't bear her sister's gaze and wanted to escape. Attorney District came out in a hurry, "Ke Li, hurry up and find Lian Huan, Mr. Xiang has something to ask him." Xu Keli went to work immediately. Seeing Xiang Baoshan's eyelashes filled with tears and Xiang Zishan's face turning pale, Attorney District couldn't help comforting them: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid..." After saying a few words, they felt empty, stopped automatically, and sighed. Xu Keli came back and said, "Lianhuan will be here soon." Xiang Baoshan quietly asked Xu Keli: "Why did the father pass on the son of a servant?" Xu Keli stopped her with his gaze. Lianhuan came, still wearing the university uniform of white clothes and white trousers, he lowered his head and walked quickly without making eye contact with anyone. When the servants downstairs saw him, they talked and whispered, and when he approached, they immediately avoided him silently. Lianhuan ignored it. Xu Keli accompanied him into Xiang Quanci's study. Lianhuan sat down quietly, full of sorrow, lowered his head and clenched his hands. Although Xiang Quanci sat obliquely on the easy chair, Lianhuan felt that he was placed on the seat by a guard, his neck and limbs were already soft, like a marionette abandoned by someone. He moved. Xu Keli stepped forward, "Mr. Xiang, I'll go out for a while." Xiang Quanci waved his hand to signal him to stay. Lianhuan gradually got used to the dim light in the room, his eyes only stayed on Xiangshi for a while, then he slowly lowered his head, unable to bear to study carefully. He no longer looks like a person, with dry and dark skin, wearing a hat to cover his thinning hair, deep-set eyes, and a fuzzy voice. He spoke, and what he said surprised the two young men. The voice seemed to come from far away, what he said was: "Do you know how to love a person more than that person loves you, what should you do?" Xu Keli was puzzled and looked at his mentor in astonishment. Lianhuan suddenly raised his head, deeply shocked. Xiang Quanci seemed to see their different reactions, raised his hand tremblingly, and pointed at Lianhuan, "Tell me." Xu Keli was amazed that it was impossible for this stupid boy to understand such a profound question. But Lianhuan had already thought it through very thoroughly, he smiled slightly, and replied softly: "I won't let her know." If Xiang Quanci had an epiphany, he repeated in a murmur: "Don't let her know." Lianhuan added: "She never needs to know, this is purely my business." Xiang Quanci, as if enlightened, stretched out his hand to grab Lianhuan, and asked sadly, "Do I know too much?" Xu Keli frowned and listened attentively, but he still couldn't figure out what kind of riddle the two were playing. Lianhuan nodded. After a while, Xiang Quanci asked again: "Lianhuan, have you ever seen that red sports car?" Except for Xiang Quanci, Lianhuan has never lied, this is the first and last time, he replied: "No." Xiang Quanci smiled wryly, "Answer me honestly." "No," Lianhuan pressed his hand, "never." Xiang Quanci couldn't get the correct answer, but felt relieved. He said: "Lianhuan, very good. If you really protect the Xiang family to the end, I will reward you heavily." Xu Keli guessed that this was a secret between their master and servant, so he just waited quietly. "Ke Li," Xiang Quan called him, "treat Lian Huan generously, and help him fulfill his wish as much as possible." Xu Keli quickly said yes. Xiang Quanci lowered his head and remained silent for a long time, as if he had lost consciousness. Lianhuan looked at Xu Keli warily. Just as they were about to call the nurse in, Xiang Quanci's eyelids moved again, and he said softly, "She's so beautiful, she's so beautiful..." Xu Keli vaguely knew who he was talking about, but Lianhuan was absolutely sure, he turned his head and sighed softly. Why is human memory sometimes so cruelly good. Then Xiang Quanci smiled, and he said, "You guys go out." The two young people exited the room, and just greeted a golden-red sunset in a room. Lianhuan said to Xu Keli, "I'll take a step first." Xu Keli liked this straightforward young man very much, "Lianhuan, if there is an opportunity, we can work together." Lianhuan smiled, there are opportunities everywhere, he doesn't want to have too deep relationship with Xiang's son-in-law Chenglong Kuai. He hurried downstairs. Xiang Baoshan came out and asked Xu Keli, "What can my father have to say to him?" Xu Keli did not answer. "I don't like this man. He has beastly eyes." Xu Keli laughed, "You don't know him at all." Lianhuan planned to go back to the dormitory through the back door, but before he reached the back garden, he heard the cook gossiping with the maid. ——"Old Lian really had bad luck. I heard that Mr. Xiang has his name in his will." "How do you know, Attorney District told you?" Good question, wise, really, how do you know? The cook coughed, "Tell me, is there anything unspeakable between their master and servant?" Instead, the maid became impatient, "Yes, they are brothers who have been separated for many years." The cook was about to reply when he suddenly noticed a long figure on the grass. When he looked up and saw Lian Huan passing by, he finally fell silent. Lao Lian waited at the mansion all day and all night. Sister-in-law Lian said to her son, "Miss Lin will come to visit you tomorrow." Seeing that Lianhuan didn't respond, he said, "We've been classmates for several years, and we're all very satisfied. I haven't heard you talk about who is in Xiangqin's family, or what kind of job your father does." The phone rang again. This time Lianhuan didn't dare to listen, if that person came to inquire about the news, he didn't know what to say. Sister-in-law Lian took the microphone and laughed immediately, "Xiangqin, it's you, what do I like to eat, eh, you're welcome, I've made your favorite dish, come early tomorrow, Lianhuan?" Sister-in-law Lian turned her head Come on, "Hey, he was still there just now, it was his father who called him out..." Lianhuan hid upstairs, as if he could still hear his mother's chatter. "Chain, chain." Lianhuan immediately jumped up from the bed and leaned out the window, but there was no one there, the top of the tree was high and far away, and Ah Zi was not on the branch. Mother and Xiangqin have already misunderstood, if they are allowed to misunderstand, or if they become part of the misunderstanding, it will definitely be harmful. Tomorrow, let's make it clear with Xiangqin tomorrow. It doesn't take a lot of courage not to love her.